Representation by Chris Wheeler
- Date submitted
- 21 January 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I support the PINS representations made by Friston Parish Council and Substation Action – Save East Suffolk and reserve the right to be allowed to speak to any or all of the points they have raised, many of which I have contributed to. I strongly object to approval of the DCO application on the following grounds (amongst others): 1. Grid Connection. The guidance given to SPR by National Grid to connect at Sizewell/Leiston is seriously questionable for a variety of reasons, including those related to lack of consultation and the Energy Act 1989. 2. National Grid The evident desire of National Grid to construct an Energy Hub at Friston based on a new substation there should be the subject of an NSIP in its own right. 3. Noise. The proposed rating level of 34dB LAeq5min of industrial noise will be unacceptable in the quiet rural location of Friston with a substantial nearby community. The evidence offered that it will not have a significant or serious adverse impact is incomplete, inadequate and questionable. 4. Noise. The statement that the substation will NOT be ‘tonal’ and hence subject to a noise penalty is unjustified by the information provided, which is inadequate and incomplete. 5. Landscape, Visual Impact and Heritage. The massively intrusive environmental impact on the rural setting of Friston village will present a serious threat to the viability of the community inconsistent with the requirements of NPS EN-1, EN-3 and EN–5 and is a major adverse effect. Great damage will be caused to the setting of listed buildings and to longstanding woodland. 6. Substation Design. The proposed engineering design of the proposed substations is not ‘low impact’ and no adequate effort has been made to reduce visual and noise impacts by superior electrical engineering technical design and procurement. 7. Flood Risk. The project, both during Construction and in Operation is very likely to exacerbate the existing flood risk in Friston village and no adequate evidence of mitigation is provided. 8. Cumulative Impact including Traffic. The application fails to properly consider the cumulative impact of EA1N and EA2 taken together with other projects such as Nautilus and EuroLink, and the potential construction of Sizewell C nuclear power station. The impact on traffic congestion in particular would be unacceptable including on the Emergency Evacuation Plan for Sizewell B Nuclear Power Station which should take priority over all other issues. 9. Socio-Economic and Health Factors. Housing in Friston (a popular retirement and holiday home area) is already blighted with no consideration or mitigation offered by SPR. Professionally produced plans predict the loss of hundreds of jobs and livelihoods in the local community if the energy projects proceed as well as enhanced pollution. There is a high level of anxiety in the community resulting from the projects. 10. Rights of Way The permanent closure of high value PRoWs in an unspoilt rural environment and their partial replacement by low value ones passing close to noisy and ugly electrical equipment is unacceptable. The extent of temporary PRoW closures during construction is also unacceptable. 11. Onshore Ecology The project will permanently damage a wide variety of wildlife habitats with no adequate consideration or mitigation. 12. Cable Route Impact During construction this will result in the same unacceptable effects as listed above for the substation complex. 13. Sustainability The project is clearly not sustainable as it will sterilise large areas of seashore, cable route, and substation location in a way that entirely prevents effective usage in the future. A sustainable approach would require the coordinated development of an existing major substation site in a relatively unpopulated brownfield area, such as at Bramford, or Lowestoft, or Bradwell, with a carefully designed on-shore cable ‘motorway’ rather than fragmented radial connections. C Wheeler CEng MIET MIEEE